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Is there anywhere online to get a rut report or map?
In west central Ms, north of I-20 we're seeing signs of rub lines, scrapes, and some light sparring. Bucks have separated from their bachelor groups and are roaming. I've had 4 new bucks show up on camera in the last 10 days and each one was solo. What's interesting is that south of I-20, the bucks are still in their bachelor groups and there's not much sign of the rut starting. What's it like where you are?
I'm in SW Mississippi and hunt between Mccomb and Woodville. Some public land and some private but every year about the second weekend of December it starts picking up and the peak rut is the week after Christmas. Where I hunt at in SE Arkansas the rut usually starts up around right now and peaks in the beginning of December. I have been hunting Caston Creek WMA this year and have seen several bucks in pairs of 2 so they haven't went solo yet down here.
I'm not sure on the rut but I can give you a Madison County road crossing report and they are freaking everywhere! Even in the city!
Saw the first signs of rut here in the north delta yesterday. Had a yearling doe come out by herself in a corn stubble and then bed down in it. I am fairly certain the mother isnt killed because there are only 2 of us hunting a few thousand acre farm. This leads me to think momma has been cut off with a buck.
Seeing some scrapes popping up on the edges of fields now. This cold snap really pushed things ahead I believe. It is just now hitting pre-rut. But t is definitely prerut.
Shit, I forgot about this thread...thanks crystal!Quote:
Originally Posted by Crystal Balls
Up here on my place in Northwest Central AL, (east of Lowndes County) There is a boo-koo of does and little ones hanging around in the bottoms eating acorns, and don't even look at the green fields yet.. There's a few single monster bucks slipping around at night but I can't tell if they are chasing yet.
It's on in my neck of the woods...I'm finally seeing my mature bucks from early season on camera once again over scrapes and a new fat boy that has to be 240+. I'm not leaving the stand this weekend, but damn it's going to be a crappy hunting weather. Best of luck guys!
Attachment 922 Got a nice around 3-4 year old 6 pt on my cam the other night.. nice height and mass..
I keep getting night pics too. Hunted Friday through This morning and only had pics of bucks at night. Biggest one was last night. A 8-10 pointer with nice mass and height. Not much width. they aren't coming out in day time. I hunt between Aberdeen and Amory on Tombigbee.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barking 13
October through Opening weekend we had a ton of does, but they have not been moving much the last two weekends. anyone else seeing similar activity changes? They all seem to be bedding up all day. I jumped a half dozen last night walking to check my camera. They were less that 75 yards from the stand I was hunting all daY and never came out. Hoping this cooler weather gets them back into their normal routine.
As for rut activity, the smaller bucks were chasing does opening weekend but overall deer activity has been scarce the last two weekends.
I'm only about 40-50 miles SE of you in Vernon (Formerly Caledonia)
You need to shot that one to get his genetics out of the herd. Nice 6pt though..
The pre-rut is starting right now in central MS. The next 3 weeks should be good..
Either me or my son will.... if he steps out in the daylight... he's a vampireQuote:
Originally Posted by fishwater99
I'm in the stand right now in the little town of Tula..the rut is just now starting on one section I hunt on, but not so much on another section which is about 7 miles away on the yocona river.
Anyways I'm hunting a spot where I have 2 shooters on camera. This morning right at day light the deer started moving. Saw 3 different bucks chasing does. It was some good action, I wasn't able to get out of the stand until noon. Hopefully one of the big boys comes through this afternoon.
Went down a little fire road in the bottom and there are scrapes everywhere
Seems to getting very close in Yazoo and Warren counties....chasing, Bucks constantly searching.....
The does may not be in estrus yet, but the bucks are ready......
The next 2 weeks should be great in Madison, Hinds and Warren counties. My Dad shot this 3 year old yesterday in eastern Warren.
I wish he could have made it 2 more years...
Attachment 926Attachment 927
Went in eastern Oktibbeha Co. over the weekend, bucks still in groups for the most part but did notice a few scrapes here and there.
That's a great deer. If he made it another 2 years he would have been a giant.Quote:
Originally Posted by fishwater99
I hunt in Smith County where the bucks aren't quite as big, but here is a 6 point I got on camera last week. I would love to give this buck 2 more years, but I hunt a small piece of land, so hopefully no neighbors will shoot him.
The rut is picking up and should be pretty good hunting this week and next.
Nice buckQuote:
Originally Posted by fishwater99
Where do you hunt? Are you in East Central MS? We have a lot of deer that look like that in Smith County. Not very good spreads, but they can get good height and mass.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barking 13
And as for what fishwater said, I used to think the same thing, but I recently talked to some guys at Wildlife Fisheries and Parks about getting rid of deer that seem to have poor genetics. They told me that I should NOT do that, only because they said it may be the does that have the poor gene, so it may do no good. They said instead just focus on keeping mineral licks year round and plenty of variety in food throughout the year in plots, and just give these deer time to grow older. They said a lot of deer that start out looking like this, can develop into really nice deer and develop more of a spread by the time they're 5.5 to 6.5 years old.
I'm really trying to learn to manage the deer herd on the new family land I'm hunting, so I've been asking tons of questions. Good luck getting him if you go after him though.
CD, I'm in Lamar County, AL , just over the state line and just northeast of Columbus. I was talking to my "new" neighbor who's been here for about 20 years and owns 200 of the approx. 400 acres that surround me. My little old plot is kinda in the center / west side of the whole section.. hills, and planted pine trees, interspersed with hardwood bottoms.. anyway, he says that he's seen this guy on his cam too. Then he shows me a pic of a monster ten point that is roaming around out here too. I think I saw this deer on the side of the road about a month or so ago less than a mile from the house.. The guy tells me that all of the local land owners have a gentleman's agreement that we won't shoot anything that isn't at least a 12" x 12" rack. He says there were not any good bucks about five years ago, and now there are four confirmed 3-5 year old trophies running around out here... (pretty good for ax. 500 acres) There are a bunch of does, so they are open season freezer queens, and if you get a lucky shot at one of these bad boys, have at it, but these guys move a lot at night. (a lot of my cam shots are usually midnight til 4)
That's awesome man. I'm going to approach my neighbors with a similar gentlemens agreement. Based on the lack of good bucks, I'm thinking they are shooting anything with horns.Quote:
Originally Posted by Barking 13
By the way, I got your pm, but I'm traveling today so I'll have to look at it tonight. Sounds like you have some good potential. Did you just move there? Are you interested in managing it? Maybe we could share tips that are working well over the next few seasons if so.
!0-4.. just moved here the end of August
Bucks activity just started ramping up in central Monroe county. Seen a few spikes and small 4's chasing does this past weekend. Had a decent 7 chasing a doe all day Monday and needed up taking him Tuesday morning. Still have a couple diffent larger bucks on camera at night in the area, but no day sightings. Hopefully they will make some day appearances in the next week
You're not far from me, at all, buddy... I hunt just in the NW corner of Pickens County....Quote:
Originally Posted by Barking 13
near VernonQuote:
Originally Posted by TUSK
Speaking of "Management Tips"... I have just a few...
1) a "slot" for does... we try to spare those that are most likely to bare twins... whack doe fawns and any doe >4.5... if the buck/doe ratio is still off, remove the slot.
2) kill all inured, sick or otherwise genetically inferior deer.
3) try limit buck kills to deer >3.5 years, with antlers outside ears (>16")... even better, don't shoot one unless you are going to put it on the wall.
footnotes:
1) this will obviously vary on location.
2) kids and chicks get "passes"... esp if it's a first deer or you are a masochist that wants your wife/gf to get into hunting....
3) all bets are off, if you're drunk and hungry for more backstrap....
near E'ville, here....Quote:
Originally Posted by Barking 13
Macedonia? lolQuote:
Originally Posted by TUSK
rat bastard....LOLQuote:
Originally Posted by Barking 13
that shit is funny... I'm twixt & tween old and new 82, thanks!